1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to impeller-type pumps, such as centrifugal pumps.
2. Background Art
Centrifugal pumps utilize an impeller and a volute to pump fluids. The impeller, along with other components of the pumping mechanism, is contained within an adaptor that is connected to a motor. The adaptor is then positioned within a volute housing and the motor is connected to the volute housing by a series of bolts. The impeller is rotated by the motor to move fluid along the volute and out of the volute housing. Specifically, fluid is received through an inlet in the volute housing and is directed to the center of the impeller through a wear plate. The fluid received at the center of the impeller is, during rotation of the impeller, moved outward from the impeller's center. The fluid then leaves the edges of the impeller and is guided by the volute, which directs the flow of fluid through the volute housing.
In order to perform maintenance on a centrifugal pump, the bolts connecting the motor to the volute housing are removed. The motor may then be slid away from the volute housing and the impeller, wear plate, and other components of the pumping mechanism that are connected to the motor by the adaptor may be disconnected from the adaptor and then from one another. For example, to remove the wear plate from the adaptor, an additional series of bolts must be loosened and removed. Once any necessary maintenance has been performed on the wear plate, the bolts must be reinserted and tightened to secure the wear plate to the adaptor. The entire motor and adaptor must then be realigned with the volute housing. Once properly aligned and positioned, the motor is reconnected to the volute housing by reinserting and tightening the series of bolts.